


Talk The Stars Down From The Sky

by WaxyWolf



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Adopted Children, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - High School, Coming of Age, Deaf Character, Ensemble Cast, Foster Care, Gen, Kid Fic, a little bit of a disaster, no beta we die like men, yes josh knows sign language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24141931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxyWolf/pseuds/WaxyWolf
Summary: Or, four times Jed Bartlet regrets having foster kids (but not really) and one time he doesn’t regret it in the least
Relationships: Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet, Danny Concannon/C. J. Cregg
Comments: 22
Kudos: 85





	1. How Have I Not Made A Note Of Every Word You Ever Said?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Sweethearts!
> 
> This is basically a doodle I wrote based on my universe in "This Love Would Burn So Yellow." It can be read as a stand-alone, but it might make more sense to read that one first. All you really need to know is that the Bartlets fostered and then adopted basically the entire cast because Dad Bartlet is the Best Bartlet. 
> 
> Happy Reading
> 
> Title from “Beloved” by Mumford and Sons, chapter titles from the same

Jed narrowly misses a concussion, several hours of Abbey fretting over the goose egg on his head, and two weeks of his son’s guilty slinking around the house when he decides to duck. It’s amazing what one movement can accomplish.

“Josh! How many times have I told you not to throw that damned ball in the house?” The boy in question has the shame to at least look remorseful.

“Sorry, dad.” Josh spares a backwards glance towards the girl sitting at Jed’s kitchen table, who looks both amused at Josh’s chastisement and horribly embarrassed to have to witness it. Oh, the humiliation of being reprimanded in front of your peers. Well, Jed doesn’t want his kid’s friends to think he’s a grouchy old curmudgeon or that they’re not welcome in his home, so he approaches the kitchen table. 

“Hello young lady. I assume you’re one of Josh’s friends? Studying for a biology test perhaps? I always did prefer chemistry, but that might have been because-” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Josh silently groan and slump dramatically in defeat. The girl shrinks in her seat as he approaches, but she keeps his eye contact. Brave girl. 

“Dad, this is Donna. Donna, this is my dad, Mr. Bartlet. And she’s not my classmate, she’s my partner for the math mentorship program. We would meet after school but she’s got cheer practice four out of the five days, so she’s here.” Josh sticks his hands in his pockets and tries not to look as if he’s defending a girl to his father. Jed’s been through teenage boy-dom, he knows all the tricks. He knows Josh has already been suitably punished by the shame of his father’s shout. So Jed offers Donna a peace offering of a smile. 

“Math mentorship, huh?” he asks. Donna nods eagerly. 

“Mrs. Holden says he’s really good with trig, and that’s what I struggle with.” 

“And what do you think of Josh’s trig skills so far?” 

“The jury’s still out,” Donna quips shyly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Josh gapes at her, making a choked noise from his throat. Jed likes this girl already. He claps Josh on the shoulder as he exits the kitchen. 

“Good luck kids! And Josh,” Jed fixes him with a serious stare. “The next time you throw that ball to show off for some girl, I’m bringing out the baby pictures of you in a cow costume from Halloween.” He hears a giggle and a shout of protest from behind him, and he smiles. 

Oh, to be fifteen and on top of the world. And oh, to be the parent who holds them down to planet earth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this first one was short, but there's more to come.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! The West Wing fandom is so small, I really appreciate all your support! <3
> 
> Comments/kudos are my writin' fuel
> 
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sunstarsseokjin


	2. Time Is Not On Our Side (But It's Alright)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Sweethearts!
> 
> Thanks so much for the nice folks who left kudos on the last chapter! Here's the next segment, with teenager CJ and more Dad Bartlet. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

“Where do you think you’re going?” 

C.J. looks suitably offended to be questioned by her father on her whereabouts, as all 17 year olds do. She puts her hands on her hips, a habit from her more pushy preteen years. Not that her stubbornness has abated in the slightest. 

“To Danny’s. He’s hosting a party for all the yearbook staff to celebrate sending it off to the printers,” C.J. says, with all the conviction of someone with an alibi. Jed looks over the top of his reading glasses at her. 

“That sweater is a little short for a yearbook party, isn’t it?” C.J. tugs self-consciously at her sweater, the hem of which barely touches the top of her high-waisted jeans. 

“It fits fine. It’s a club event, dad. It’s not a rave or a house party. It’s Danny’s house, a couple pizzas, and a case of La Croix. I gotta go, he’s gonna be here in a minute-” 

“He’s picking you up? Does he have a driver’s license?” Jed folds down the top of his newspaper and C.J. groans in exasperation. 

“Yes, he has a driver’s license, he’s 19, now can I go?-” 

“He’s 19? Isn’t that a little old to be in the high school yearbook club?” 

“There’s not an age limit, he’s a senior just like me. He’s just, y’know, older.” C.J. shrugs. Jed smacks his folded newspaper against the arm of his chair. 

“Ah, ‘older.’ I know what that means in the world of teenage girls. Boys a year or two older just seem so much more sophisticated, so much cooler-” 

“Dad!” C.J. protests, “It’s a club event, I can’t  _ not _ go! I’m the vice president!” 

“Yeah, okay. Change your sweater and promise to take a breathalyzer when you get home and we’ll _talk_ _about-_ ” Jed’s only half joking about the breathalyzer. At that moment, C.J.’s cellphone buzzes and she glances up with a triumphant smirk. 

“Oh look, Danny’s here, gotta go-” 

“Claudia Jean!” Jed hollers down the hall, but she’s already out the door. Jed sighs in defeat, getting up from his armchair to peer out the front windows. C.J.'s climbing into someone’s second-hand car with the left rear light patched up with duct tape. A acne-ridden boy with a mop of red hair holds open her door, closing it behind her. He pulls his bulky jacket tighter around his shoulders, catching sight of Jed in the window as he walks back to the driver’s side of the car. He sends him a wave and a self-satisfied grin. 

“That heap of junk’s a violation of New Hampshire transportation code!” calls Jed through the window, but the kid’s already in the car, his speaker system’s bass turned up all the way. Jed whacks the front window with his newspaper. “I’ll call the cops, you pockmarked punk!” 

“Who’s calling the cops?” Abbey leans on the stairway banister on the second floor, raising her eyebrow down at Jed. Charlie peeks out from behind her. They must have been watching a movie together in the master bedroom. Jed gestures out towards the driveway. 

“C.J.’s illicit, older boyfriend, with a car that would rust at the slightest thought of rain.” Jed glares out the window at the empty yard, just for good measure. Abbey rolls her eyes. Charlie watches both of them quietly, hiding his smile behind his hands.

“Let her go out with friends. She’s almost an adult, she can manage herself. You have to let the reins go a little.” 

“I let the reins go with Elizabeth and Ellie and Zoey, and look where that got me! Johns Hopkins and Georgetown!” Jed raves without much heat. 

“She’s been practically independent since she was 14. She’ll be fine with Danny.” Abbey disappears back into the master bedroom, Charlie giving Jed a lingering look as he follows. 

“Oh, so this ‘Danny’ is a recurring character, is he? All the more reason to suspect him! Statistically, that car is more likely to break down in the middle of a snowstorm with C.J. inside the more she gets rides with this ruffian!” Jed calls up the stairs, but Abbey’s already gone. 

“Damn,” mumbles Jed. “I thought I was done with teenage boys and their cars when Zoey left for college.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> The next chapter should be up in a day or two
> 
> Comments/kudos are always appreciated
> 
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sunstarsseokjin


	3. I Won't Hold You Back Beloved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Sweethearts!
> 
> This chapter is my favorite, full disclosure. I hope you like it too!
> 
> Happy Reading!

As someone who lived through a 14 year-old boy’s metabolism, Jed understands the nonstop hunger and the immunity from such a thing as “too many carbohydrates”. But also as a parent, he worries just a little for the speed at which Sam is shoveling cereal into his mouth. 

“Slow down son, you’re gonna swallow the spoon,” Jed chides gently, stirring his own cup of coffee and watching Sam eat with amusement. Sam swallows thickly, glancing up at Jed. 

“I gotta go, Toby’s taking me downtown today.” Sam quickly shoves another heaping spoonful of milk-soaked sugar into his mouth, and Jed rests his elbows on the counter. 

“Toby, huh? Where’s he taking you today?” Toby, Leo McGarry’s foster son and honorary member of the Bartlet family, is a common face around the residence. Though five years older than Sam, the two have struck up something of a friendship, mostly due to Sam’s interest in Toby’s political aspirations and Toby’s indulgence for Sam’s rambling. If you asked Jed, it’s also due to the fact Toby sees a part of himself in the gifted young teenager. 

“There’s a public forum on fishing as an instrument of tourism and its effects on the environment.” Sam shares happily. “Toby said he’d take me, and my social studies teacher said he’d give me extra credit too.” 

“Are you particularly interested in New Hampshire’s environmental policy, Sam?” Jed sips his coffee to hide his amusement. Sam shakes his head, milk running down his chin from the speed of his eating. 

“Nah, but I like debates, and Toby said he’d take me to the rally outside afterwards.” Sam says this calmly, but it sends a spark of concern shooting up Jed’s spine. 

“A rally? For what? By who?”

“By an environmentalist group, outside the forum building. Toby says there’ll be signs an’ yelling an’ heckling!” Jed sets down his coffee mug with more force than necessary. 

“Toby said he’d take a high school freshman to a violent protest?” Jed asks incredulously. Sam stops mid-bite, lowering his spoon. 

“I thought you supported the people’s right to gather and speak their mind.” Sam sounds genuinely excited about being caught in what sounds more like a riot than a rally.

“I do, just not when my 14 year old son’s going to be there, with a surly high school senior looking to pick a fight, as his bodyguard. You’re not going.” Jed picks up his mug again, thinking that’s the end of it. 

Oh, how little he knows. 

“But I wanted to go! I can get extra credit for the forum!” Sam’s bottom lip is wobbling in a way that makes Jed’s stomach tie itself into knots. It reminds him too much of the underfed, skittish boy that landed on his doorstep three years ago. “Toby will be there, and we were gonna spend the day together.” Sam seemingly has forgotten his mostly-empty cereal bowl, which is more of an indicator of how hurt he is than anything else. 

“I’m sorry Sam, but I don’t feel comfortable with you caught in the midst of a riot. You’re not going.” Jed thinks that  _ now _ ,  _ this _ has to be the end of it. 

Of course it isn’t.

“You never let me do things!” Sam’s not shouting, but he’s clearly upset. “You let Josh go to questionable things and have girls over and stuff all the time. This isn’t fair!” 

“I don’t have to be fair, I’m your dad. There’s nothing that says dads have to be equitable.” 

“What if someone else went with Toby and I? Can Josh go?” Sam’s reached the bargaining phase of loss, but Jed’s a shrewd barterer and knows better than to get into a trade with a preteen. 

“Sam, I said no.” He doesn’t mean for it to happen, but as Jed’s temper rises, so does his tone. Why can’t Sam understand that this is for his own good? That Jed’s word goes, no questions asked? 

“Fine!” Sam shoves away from the counter, noisily dropping his mostly empty cereal bowl into the sink and storming upstairs. Jed can practically see the anger and frustration boiling off of his thin shoulders. It’s a little shocking, but also relieving, to see Sam so emotive and responsive. For a long time after he had come to stay at the Bartlet’s house, he hadn’t spoken or shown much opinion at all. He had slept-walked through the halls, from his room to the kitchen to the bathroom and back, his skeletal hands not daring to touch anything in the house. Now, he’s a healthy weight and a heavy head of opinions and trivia. Jed is proud of Sam, in every way. 

But the past doesn’t change the present; that Sam is upset at him now. Jed sighs, looking down into his now cold cup of coffee. He’s not going to change his mind and let Sam get dragged into some riot with Toby. Neither side is going to give in so easily. So Jed does what he usually does when he’s troubled: he calls Leo. 

“Hello?” The familiar grinding rasp of his best friend never fails to bring some relief to Jed; no matter the problem, there’s someone in his corner now. 

“You’re going to have to tell Toby that Sam can’t come with him downtown today.” Jed leans against the counter next to the sink, studying Sam’s cereal bowl in the sink and trying to remember being 14 and obstinate. 

“Why? I thought it was a forum about environmental policy.” 

“Because Sam let the cat out of the bag and told me there’s to be some sort of protest outside the forum he wants to see for the pure spectacle. I told him no, he couldn’t go to a riot, and he got upset.” He hears Leo sigh over the phone. 

“It sounds to me like you’ve got a real problem on your hands. Are you gonna be able to handle Sam when he’s in debate mode?” 

“Alright you comedian, I graduated from an Ivy league school, I can take a preteen,” Jed grumbles into the phone. “I don’t want him to stay mad at me is all.” 

“He’s a kid, he’ll get over it. And I’ll have a talk with Toby about looking for a fight where there isn’t one.” 

“That’s the problem,” Jed laments, “Environmental policy is huge, and it’s incredible that a young person like Sam is interested in it to get this upset about it. I don’t want him discouraged from civic engagement.” 

“Well, said you didn’t want him going alone and/or with Toby, right?” Leo asks. 

“Yes, I...Oh, I know where you’re going with this, you old crooked fool,” Jed accuses his friend. “You want me to give up a perfectly good Saturday to go downtown with a bunch of hippies and vegans, don’t you?” 

“You have any better ideas, Mr. I-Lay-Down-The-Law?” Jed can hear Leo’s grin through the phone, the sarcastic bastard.

“Alright,” Jed grumbles. “But Toby’s supposed to go to this pit of recycling vipers, so I expect to see you there as well.” 

And so it happens, that through the doors of the public courthouse walks Jed Bartlet and his sons Sam and Charlie, and Leo McGarry with Toby, who looks peeved to be seen with an adult and several children. Sam’s eyes are shining as he looks around, his head seemingly on a swivel as he takes it all in. 

In the end, there’s not much to see at all; a few people sitting spread out in the drab hall in uncomfortable plastic chairs, a few wearing buttons proclaiming green energy. And yet, Sam is buzzing, as if this forum meeting will shape national policy. 

Jed doubts this will change the city council, much less the federal government, but there’s something special about Sam’s excitement. If only all citizens could carry the vitality of one’s first civic action, that everyone would approach these meaningless discussions with enthusiasm. Maybe then, Jed thinks, they wouldn’t be so meaningless after all. 

“Why did you all have to come,” bemoans Toby as they find their seats. “It was just going to be Sam and I.”

“What kind of citizens would we be if we didn’t engage with our local government?” Jed remarks, settling into the stiff chair. “And you know, Charlie’s a real tree hugger. He wouldn’t miss a forum on New Hampshire environmentalism for the world.” From his seat sandwiched between Leo and Jed, Charlie smiles and looks at his lap. He still doesn’t talk much, but his anxiety about public spaces is getting much better.

“I would have been fine,” Toby continues to complain. Leo elbows him gently. 

“Sometimes, you’ve got to pick your battles kid. And some council members who get paid by oil corporations is not a fight you need to take on.” Toby slouches in his seat, chastised, but settles down.

The forum is, ultimately, quite dull and procedural. The most exciting part is when they open it up for public testimony, where a balding man speaks about his family legacy in mining and a teenager with dyed hair rails against the evils of petroleum-based products. Jed finds himself struggling to focus, though Sam is determinedly staring forward, trying to absorb every word. 

The protest outside turns out to be around 15 high schoolers with signs, chanting occasionally as the people exit the forum. It’s no violent upheaval. Jed could have let Sam go with Toby, but he’s glad they fought and that they went as a group. It was nice to spend the day with his kids, even if it was for a boring public policy meeting.

“So? What did you think?” Jed asks Sam, a hand resting on his shoulder as they walk back to the car. Sam shrugs. 

“There wasn’t as much yelling as I thought. And I didn’t understand everything they were talking about. But I liked it.” Sam nods thoughtfully. Jed laughs. 

“Just wait till you get to attend a political rally during an election year. You’ll get plenty of yelling there,” Jed tells him over Toby’s grumbling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've definitely begged to go to public hearings and forums, and they are definitely as boring as they sound haha
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!  
> Comments/kudos are very much appreciated!
> 
> Find me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sunstarsseokjin


	4. She Says The Lord Has A Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Sweethearts!  
> I hope y'all are doing alright. This one is a little sadder than the last.
> 
> Several things about this chapter:   
> 1.) SPOILERS for the end of season two, "18th and Potomac." Though I figure if you're reading West Wing fanfiction, you've already seen all the episodes haha  
> 2.) I am not religious or Catholic, but Jed is. I tried including some religion in here, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with Catholicism so please tell me if something sounds ooc or wrong. I'm probably overthinking it but oh well <3
> 
> Happy Reading!

It’s raining. 

To be fair, it’s almost always raining in New Hampshire in the spring. The water puddles around light posts, exposing the granite bones of the concrete. Jed steps over the curb, looking around the parking lot. The pavement is pockmarked with puddles reflecting the sky like a dozen beetle-black eyes unblinking, the frayed edges reflecting the pale white tombstones like eyelashes, or teeth. The lot is empty, save for a few scattered, slumping cars.

Charlie carefully climbs out of the backseat. He’s just graduated from the booster seat at age ten. Jed wouldn’t be bringing him today, but Abbey had been called into work and the rest of the kids were all out of the house. Charlie had dutifully put on his nicer sweater and raincoat when asked. Perhaps he had picked up on Jed’s sour mood, because he had been quiet on the way over. Charlie’s always been a quiet child, preferring to let his actions speak louder than his words. But there is something closed off about his silence today. It’s understandable: the last time Charlie was in a graveyard, it was to bury his mother. 

The pair walks in waterlogged silence across the field, Charlie just half a step behind Jed’s long stride. Charlie, while not the biggest fan of physical touch, likes to stick close to the nearest family member. Usually it’s Jed, but he’s partial to Sam or C.J.. And in any case, Jed doesn’t feel much like polite conversation either. 

They stop in front of a pale gray marker, only a few years old. There’s already a bouquet laying next to the headstone, the daisies dripping from the recent rain. Jed’s not sure who left them, but he’s glad they’re not here now. He usually doesn’t share this day with anyone, except maybe Abbey and God. And right now, Charlie, looking small next to Jed’s slumped figure draped in black. He’s not quite sure how he feels, sharing this with his newest son, with a child who never met Delores Landingham.

Despite his probable confusion, Charlie remains respectfully quiet. When Jed bows his head for a moment of prayer, Charlie bows his head as well. It’s been too long since Jed’s been here. He bookends his prayer with apologies, and promises to visit more often. It’s easy to get busy, especially when being at her grave still hurts. Delores would have liked Charlie. 

“You know, fostering kids wasn’t something I ever thought I’d do,” Jed says. Charlie looks up at him, but Jed’s still staring straight ahead. “I knew I would have a family someday. I looked forward to fatherhood, to having my work rewarded, to seeing my kids grow up strong and healthy. And once I was raising three girls, I thought well, that’s another task completed. Another Commandment fulfilled. Where’s my reward?” Jed chuckles and gestures towards the gravestone. 

“She got a kick out of that. Smacked me upside the head and told me parenting was a lifelong agreement, that even though Zoey was a high school senior didn’t mean I was over the worst of it yet.” And then one kid had turned into two, into three, into -

Well, you know the rest.

“She would have loved you, kiddo,” Jed sighs, putting a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. When did he get so tall? Where has the time gone?

“Sometimes, people die,” Jed says to his son. “And you’re not quite ready to let them go. And that’s okay.” Charlie nods, mouth downturned. His eyes are understanding, a level of insight too old for a ten year-old. They stand, side by side, for several minutes, father and son. Jed thinks about time, about Delores, about being ten and having lost a mother. 

They stand until even Charlie’s incredible patience reaches its limits, and he starts fidgeting - as ten year-olds are known to do. 

“Alright, let’s head home.” Jed gives one last nod to the gravestone. “Till next time, you old bird. May you rest in the arms of the heavenly father and nitpick me from above. You’d like that.” Still with his hand on Charlie’s shoulder, they walk through the puddles back to the parking lot. Charlie looks up, squinting at the brightening sky. 

“You’re right,” agrees Jed. “I think it’ll stop raining soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all liked this! One last chapter to go!
> 
> Comments/kudos are always appreciated
> 
> Yell at me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sunstarsseokjin


	5. You Must Know You Are Beloved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Sweethearts!
> 
> At last! The final chapter! I very much enjoyed writing this, and I hope you like it too!  
> (also I finally mentioned Joey Lucas, and not nearly as much as she deserves!)
> 
> Happy Reading!

Jed is used to a level of noise in his house. With raising three girls, then adopting four more kids, he’s no stranger to a certain kind of chaos that birthday parties tend to generate. Screaming children, frosted baked goods and bits of popped balloons are all part and parcel of the event. 

Josh’s 16th birthday party looks a little different than the Princess Pony and Harry Potter themed birthday parties from Elizabeth’s and Zoey’s childhood. He had insisted it remain unthemed, so the current theme of the party is “unthemed,” as so decided by C.J. Jed’s not sure what an “unthemed” cake looks like, but he’s sure whatever Abbey and C.J. picked out will taste good in any case. 

One would think that raising three kids and then adopting four more, Jed would also be used to having children of various ages run wild through his house. The thing is, Josh said that Sam could invite some friends too, which means C.J. is inviting Danny and a few friends as well. Birthdays have turned into something of a communal affair here. Jed makes a valiant effort to keep track of all the kids running amok through the balloons tied to every available surface (apparently unthemed parties translate to lots and lots of balloons). When he almost trips over a little girl he doesn’t recognize, he throws in the towel. He bends down next to her on the stairs. She continues to pout, ignoring the adult to her right. 

“Are you looking for someone?” Jed asks politely. She looks too young to be C.J. or Josh’s guest, but she could be the younger sibling of a friend. The girl’s pout grows, but she turns to face him. 

“I don’t know anyone else!” She points towards the living room, where most of the party guests are playing a game. 

“You could always introduce yourself and make a new friend,” Jed offers. 

“They’re all my brother’s friends,” she huffs, hands playing with the hem of her dress. “They’re older.” Ah, so that’s it. He crouches down, so he’s on her level.

“What’s your name? My name is Mr. Jed.” She sniffles, then offers him a shy smile. 

“My name is Elsie.” 

“I think you could help me out, Elsie,” Jed tells her conspiratorially. “You see, I have a friend who is very shy. He doesn’t have anyone his own age here either. Do you think you could talk to him for me? Maybe you might make a friend.” She scrutinizes him for a second, then nods with a wide smile. Jed grins and stands up, offering her a hand. “Come on, I believe he’s in here, pretending to be a throw pillow.” 

He leads Elsie into the living room, where a group has gathered around the TV. They’re playing some sort of video game involving lots of yelling, but it looks like it’s something all the kids are enjoying. Further back, on one of the couches sits Charlie, silently watching over the proceedings. Charlie likes crowds and parties just fine, he’s just not huge on talking to lots of strangers. Guiding Elsie towards the couch, Jed smiles encouragingly at Charlie. 

“Charlie, this is my friend Elsie. She doesn’t know anyone else here, do you think you could keep her company?” Charlie nods, scooting down the couch to give her a place to sit. Without any further prompting, Elsie hops onto the couch. 

“Do you like Percy Jackson?” she asks bluntly. Charlie nods again. She seems satisfied with this answer. She jumps into a long-winded explanation of her favorite character and the most recent episode. 

Crisis averted and small child appeased, Jed turns to leave when a voice stops him. 

“Elsie!” A boy with oversized glasses around Sam’s age comes barreling towards them. He stops short of the couch, Sam close on his heels. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” 

“We thought you got lost,” chimes in Sam. The other boy nods and pushes up his glasses. Elsies sniffs, clearly dismissive of who must be her older brother. 

“I wasn’t lost. I made a friend.” She points towards Charlie, who waves. Sam brightens, clearly glad his brother isn’t sitting alone. The other boy, his large glasses slipping down his nose yet again, looks greatly relieved his younger sister hasn’t been kidnapped. 

“Sam, would you introduce me to your friend here?” Jed asks. Sam jumps at the opportunity. 

“Dad, this is my friend Will. That’s his younger sister Elsie. He’s in English class with me.” Obviously taught to be polite, Will offers a stiff hand to Jed. Jed shakes his hand with amusement. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Will. You must care a lot about your sister.” 

“My parents would kill me if anything happened, sir,” Will says wryly. He looks like he immediately regrets joking with an adult. Jed laughs, clapping Will on the shoulder. 

“I see why Sam likes you. Go on, there’s plenty of food in the kitchen if you’re hungry.” The two boys share a look, then dash off towards the kitchen. Jed chuckles, knowing the hunger of 14 year-old boys. 

The rest of the party passes eventfully. Serving cake is a wild affair, akin to feeding caged tigers. Jed hands out plates with forks and tries not to lose his hand. C.J. wanders in with that Danny kid in tow, who smirks when he catches sight of Jed. Jed narrows his eyes and plans this kid’s slow, imminent demise. Josh puts on a full show of teenage apathy, pretending to be bored while blowing out the candles. He’s sixteen now, a man, and Jed couldn’t be prouder. 

Flanking Josh are several of his friends, most notably Donna Moss the trig student and Joey Lucas, who Josh claims he does  _ not _ have a crush on. Jed doesn’t really believe that, but he does believe the fact that Josh invited Donna, an unpopular underclassman, to his birthday party and that means something. He has to admit, he wouldn’t mind seeing more of Donna around the house, especially if she keeps Josh in check. 

Toby makes an appearance as well, quickly drifting away from his adoptive father Leo to hover above the younger teenagers and brag about his acceptance into a “little ivy.” In the other room, Leo boasts the same thing, the same pride in his voice as Toby. Jed hides his laugh in his cup of punch. Like father like son. 

Then comes presents. Sam and Charlie teamed up to spend both their meager allowances on a 3-D metal puzzle. 

C.J. gets him a joke book with a gift card tucked between the pages. 

“Maybe now you’ll learn some better jokes to hit on the baristas with!” she calls over the laughing crowd. Josh sticks his tongue out and pockets the gift card. 

Toby’s present is messily wrapped, but inside is a Yankees cap and two tickets for the ballgame. Josh tackles the older boy in a hug in a rare showing of vulnerability. Toby pats his back awkwardly and cracks a joke, but looks incredibly pleased with himself all the same. 

Joey’s present is a crisp yellow legal pad and a pack of expensive pens. 

“You haven’t beaten me in a class debate yet,” she signs and Josh dictates aloud with a growing smile, “but I’m looking forward to the day you will. Even if that day is never.” Joey grins at him, a mouthful of braces. Josh signs back, “Thank you!” and then possibly “I think you’re cool/fat.” Jed was never great at sign language, even though Josh has been learning for weeks. 

“Mine next.” Donna thrusts her present under Josh’s nose, refusing to look him in the eye. Josh carefully pulls back the colorful paper to reveal a book. It seems like quite an ordinary book, a little worn if anything, with a sticker on the side identifying it as a library book from the high school. But Josh seems to recognize the book, a slow, unusual expression spreading across his face. 

“I can’t believe...You remembered! Haha, oh my god, it’s that-christ, thanks Donna.” Josh turns to her and positively beams. There’s something soft behind his eyes, something both young and old. Donna flushes, pulls her bangs over her face, grinning as well. 

The last present Josh receives is from his parents. Abbey hands him a small box, wrapped in a neat bow. Josh, still glowing from Donna’s inside joke of a gift, tears into the box before stopping. 

“This is a key.” 

“Yes, it is,” Jed agrees, hands in his pockets. 

“This is a key to a car.” Josh’s eyes are wide, wide as the sun and with just as many possibilities. 

“Astute observation,” remarks C.J. from the corner of the room, leaning into Danny’s arm around her waist. 

“Technically, it’s not yours just yet,” Jed chimes in. “It’s yours the moment after, and only after, you complete your required hours of practice and pass the test down at the DMV.” 

“You’re kidding me.” Josh’s mouth is hanging open, and he’s clutching the key with white knuckles. 

“Now you can drive us to McDonald’s!” Sam cheers, giving Will a high-five. Toby mutters something about also being available to go to McDonald’s. Josh is still gaping, and Jed has to admit his son looks a bit like a fish. It’s a wonder Donna Moss sees anything in him at all. 

“But…” Josh trails off, eyes darting about the room, seeking out Jed’s stare. Jed’s mind can fill in the blanks, as sad as it is: _ but only real kids get cars _ . His heart breaks a little, in ways Jed has become familiar with over these last few years. He wants to reassure Josh, but doesn’t wish to embarrass him so publicly. 

“But nothing,” Jed waves off Josh’s stumble. “The only “but” is that if you so much as get into a fender bender, you’ll be paying insurance.” 

“I won’t!” Josh promises immediately. “Thank you. Thank you!” Seeming to jump back into character, Josh starts shaking the key in Donna’s face. 

“McDonald’s is only for upperclassmen, unfortunately,” he crows. And just like that, the room is thrown back into chaos. Glorious, glorious chaos. 

Jed usually doesn’t like chaos. But for his kid’s birthday party? 

He’ll make an exception. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely think that Josh would learn how to sign immediately after being introduced to Joey, because that is absolutely the kind of thing Josh Lyman would do to impress a girl at 16
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!! This one goes out to the readers of my niche fanfiction, bless your beautiful souls!  
> Comments/kudos are always appreciated!
> 
> Find me on twitter at https://twitter.com/sunstarsseokjin


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